The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-04-28
PeR'sHEO in THE FLAMES.
A Dreadful and Fatal Fire Disaster n
Pittsburg-Tho YIotIma

PIITsBuaG, April H.-One Of the most
disastrous Il IS in this vicinity for some time
broke out this morning in Willis Brothers
grocery, corner Of Lacock and Cory streets,
Allegheny City, entailing loss of life, besides
injury to several people and the destruction
u considerable property. The building,
which is four story one and the largest In
the neighborhood, is used as a grocery by
Charles, John and George Willis. They and
their mother and some roomers occupy the
upper stories.
Shortly after o'clock Mrs. Willis was
Awakei by n cracking noise and the smell
| of smoke Arising she saw sparks coming
up the elevator in the rear portion of the
building. At once she alar med the inmates
and at the same time people on the outside
discovered tho fire and gave the alarm. The
flames spread rapidly, and before the engines
arrived had gaine d great headway. A num-
| Der Of people were known to be in the burn
| ing buildn., and the flremen Immediately
ran iladlerj to the various stories Of the
! building lille til he policemen turned their
attention 90 brea king in the doors and fight
ing Their way to the rooms Of the unfortu-
mates.
Upstairs, bewildered by the smoke and
| flames, were Mrs. Willis, Miss Olive Willis,
Miss Mary Willis, John Willis, William
Eberman, employed as driver by the firm;
two Greeks, named Hoggitzrun and Prel-
| Ierizen, WHO york for the Greek American
| Candy go Apauy, and roomed in the build
ing; Fred '5Iult2, an employe of the firm;
Charles Willis, George Willis and Miss
Sophie BoIes. These people were the first
| thought of by the firemen, and never
has the Allegheny department done better
work.
The smoke was thick, and hung through
| passages and Railways in clouds so dense that
lantern gave no light; to open window
from one OF the ladders thrown up against
the building was to meet a cloud of suffocat-
ng vapor, but into it all both firemen and
| policemen plunged. Some fell and had to be
ragged out, but they managed to push on
| until the third floor was gained, and the work
| Of rescue was begun The heads Of tho
| frightened women were enveloped in cloths,
| and they were carried out all uninjured, e1-
sept Sophie BoIes She could not be found,
and almost from the first was looked upon as
| lost.
One of the most appalling incidents Of tho
ire was the Jumping off by two of the people
| from the building while the firemen were
| lighting their way up stairs, and an awe
| struck crowd stood on the streets gazing up
1t the burning building William Eberman
! appeared at the window on the third floor.
| de was too far gone to shout, but he was
Ieen, and the crowd yelled to him to hold on
| A ladder vent up and man hastily started
| 10 help the suffering man. When the res
| cuer had reached the second floor Eberman
was seen to, lmch forward and then come
1own with a rush. Whether he fell or
jumped could not be told, the movement was
| 10 quick Up fell on his head and shoulders
and was IliiSSel up unconscious.
One Of the Greeks, Hoggitzrun, a power
| tul, well bails man, was the other victim
| His r9olit vas on the fourth floor The
braveryUt a man in the crowd probably
Iaved his life The Greek had poised HIM
elf on tbs sill, looked at the flames behind
and the pavement below, and then made one
| wild spring from the sill. Just as his body
| ihot dowpward a man from the crowd ran
| forward and with arms outStretched caught
the falling body. The force sent him to the
| ground with the Greek, but the latter's head
| bit the pavement and it is thought his skull
| Is fractured. The man who had run this
risk for a stranger disappeared and the
Greek was carried away.
The f held on stubbornly and it was half
past o'clock before it could be controlled.
A search OF the house was then made, and
The bodies Of Sophie Boles and Fred Schultz
we're found on the fourth floors. They were
IT'LL in bed and had evidently sufRocated to
| leath from the smoke.
The injured, Eberman and the two Greeks,
were removed to hospital, where they are
now resting easy. 1t is feared, however,
hat Ebermah and Hoggitzrun will not re-
cover. The fire is supposed to have been
,aused by an. explosion of natural gas. The
| loss is 81, ,00I; covered by insurance.